There is much responsibility in leadership. It is a sobering
task to decide what is best for your people, how to win their allegiance
and how to maintain a strong and growing society. Diplomacy is key at home
and abroad, especially when one wishes to gain worldwide influence.
Fortunately, I have led well in these areas, benefiting myself,
my country and my subjects.

My empire has enjoyed centuries
of economic and social prosperity. I feel the time is right to begin to expand
the reaches of my domain. I have begun to set aside monies to fund exploration.
Colonization will strengthen my country's power and wealth. However, my
settlers will need the protection of a strong navy during our expansion. The
Ship of the Line will ensure that my empire will rule the seas!

There is a revolution afoot among
the growing middle class. My people have begun to murmur of democracy. My
advisors warn me that my monarchy may be replaced with a democratic form of
government. This troubles me greatly. Do my people not know how I have
sacrificed for them? The students and political theorists proclaim
that democracy will bring about happiness through social equality which
will then lead to economic prosperity. But who among the working class
is fit to rule?

The revolution has come and gone,
wreaking havoc on my once-peaceful land. Yet I have arisen from the ashes like
a Phoenix, managing to retain my leadership role. Unfortunately, with democracy
comes the influence of the elected Senate. I have few friends in that branch of
government. They have placed restrictions on my military ambitions. Their
decisions are foolish. Especially considering that emissaries from our country's
trading partners have learned of a new project in Turkey that threatens to
undermine Egypt's religious strength in that region-the Gutenberg Bible.

Money has been called the root of
all evil, and yet it motivates like no other incentive save power itself. Since
my military might has been curtailed by the Senate, I have found another way to
defeat Turkey's plot against my empire. My strategy is to refocus Egypt's
production resources into building up our roads, farms and mines. This
will strengthen our society's infrastructure and allow me to accumulate enough
money to purchase information on my enemy's secret plans from traitorous Turkish
diplomats.